The Department of Film and Photography is geared towards training students in filmmaking and the appreciation of film from Malawi and globally. The training also instructs students in various current theories and trends of filmmaking, with the aim of shaping them into independent filmmakers and critics. With its critical focus, the department acts as a Malawian Institute of Film Studies where undergraduate, postgraduate and professorial research is conducted, ending in attendant practical academic and public activities such as journals, books, festivals and policy dialogues.

The Department offers the following programmes: Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies, Master of Arts in Film Studies, and Doctor of Philosophy in Film Studies.